This invention relates in general to the handling of mail and, in particular, to an improved envelope feeder apparatus for use with mail sorting machines.
The volume of mail handled daily by large businesses, institutions and governmental entities has steadily increased through the years. For example, credit card companies, utilities, mail order houses and other advertisers send and receive huge quantities of mail daily. Typically, the envelopes containing the material to be mailed are addressed and then sorted into common groups for mailing. Similarly, mail received by such entities is commonly sorted into groups based on the subject matter of the received material. This ever increasing volume of mail has created a corresponding need to develop new techniques and machines for conveniently handling and sorting the incoming and/or outgoing mail handled by such entities.
Several different types of machines have been developed to assist in the handling and sorting of mail. These prior art mail sorting machines are typically comprised of an envelope feeder apparatus and a storage apparatus. The feeder apparatus normally includes a feed station where the envelopes of an incoming supply are separated from each other and a read station where the separated envelopes are held in a stationary position while the operator of the machine reads a sort code or other identifying data which is imprinted on the envelope. The storage apparatus, on the other hand, is usually comprised of a plurality of sort bins and means for directing an envelope into its appropriate sort bin.
None of these prior art machines, however, have proved to be totally satisfactory for several reasons. One of the most notable problems associated with existing mail sorting machines is that they occupy a large amount of room due to the manner in which they are constructed. In particular, these prior art machines are constructed to have an envelope feeder apparatus wherein the incoming envelopes are carried by a feed magazine which is oriented perpendicular to the direction in which the envelopes travel through the apparatus. As a result, the magazine extends outward from the main body of the apparatus at a right angle therewith. While this type of design facilitates separation of the incoming envelopes, it also makes the machine rather bulky because the feed magazine typically extends outward from the main body of the apparatus quite a distance.
Another problem associated with these prior art machines is that the operator does not have an unobstructed view of an envelope when it is positioned at the read station of the feeder apparatus. In addition, existing mail sorting machines tend to be unreliable and often fail to properly separate consecutive envelopes thereby causing two envelopes to be conveyed through the machine together and improperly deposited in the same sorting bin.
The present invention provides a unique envelope feeder apparatus which is suitable for use with conventional mail sorting machines. The feeder apparatus herein disclosed includes a feed station where the incoming envelopes are separated from each other and a read station where an envelope is held while the sort code or other identifying data is read by an operator. In this apparatus, the incoming stack of envelopes is conveyed to the feed station by means of a feed magazine which is positioned parallel to the flow of mail through the apparatus. By orienting the feed magazine parallel to the path followed by mail through the feeder apparatus, the amount of area occupied by the apparatus is greatly reduced because the feed magazine may be incorporated into the body of the apparatus rather than extending outward therefrom.
At the feed station, the lead envelope is separated from the remainder of the stack. The separated envelope is then conveyed through an arcuate path and introduced into a transport channel for conveyance to the read station. To facilitate movement of the separated envelope through this arcuate path, the envelopes are delivered to the feed station in an oblique orientation to thereby decrease the angle through which the envelopes must be moved to introduce them into the transport channel.
As suggested above, the envelope is held at the read station such that the operator has an unobstructed view of the entire side surface of the envelope while reading the sort code or other identifying data thereon. Once the sort code has been read by the operator, the operator makes ae entry which provides the machine with information concerning the sort bin in which this envelope is to be deposited. Upon receipt of this entry, the machine advances the envelope from the read station into a guideway for transfer to its designated sort bin.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an envelope feeder apparatus for a mail sorting machine wherein the incoming stack of envelopes is delivered to the feed station of the apparatus by means of a feed magazine uniquely positioned generally parallel to the path followed by envelopes through the apparatus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an envelope feeder apparatus for a mail sorting machine wherein the separated envelopes are held in a stationary position and at the read station of the apparatus such that an operator has an unobstructed view of the entire side surface of the envelope.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide an envelope feeder apparatus of the character described which is more compact than presently existing devices.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an envelope feeder apparatus of the character described which is not only extremely reliable, but also simple and economical to construct and operate.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mail sorting machine of the character described wherein the envelopes are conveyed and handled in a reliable manner without being subject to folding, tearing or other damage.
Other and further objects of this invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description.